Moon Walking To The Title

Moon Se Young Opens Up Big Lead In Jockey Championship

In 2009 it was a fall, while in 2010 it was a lengthy suspension. Bad luck and carelessness cost Moon Se Young the Seoul Jockeys’ Championship in the two years following his victory in 2008. It seems that it is only one of those two misfortunes that could possibly cost him this year’s crown as the 31-year-old cemented his commanding lead over rival Cho Kyoung Ho by riding four winners at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Smiling Assasin: Moon Se Young

Moon’s victories today were by no means routine. After taking race 1 on 7/1 shot Time Light (Revere) he immediately followed up in race 2 on Jeongsangillo (Flatter). After sitting out race 3 in he was back winning in race 4 by five lengths on 4/1 Jeongsang Yechan (Menifee). Not until race 8 did he ride a favourite and when he did, Magic Light (Exploit) duly obliged.

It was a good day’s work but the Champion-elect still managed to look disgusted with himself after the last when Senchingu was beaten by slight favourite Bohemian Love (Commendable) ridden by his only serious rival for the title, Cho Kyoung Ho.

Moon is now thirteen wins ahead of last year’s winner Cho with veteran Park Tae Jong a distant third.

In other races, perennial underachieverSinggeureounachim (Exploit) finished on the right end of a quinella for once. The one-time Derby favourite has so far failed to live up to his substantial potential, however, today he made no mistake as, under Jo In Kwen, he took out the first of co-feature races. Starting even-money favourite, the three-year old collared early leader Gangcheoljangsa in the home straight and held on for a narrow victory.

It was also a good day for the two Japanese jockeys at Seoul. After Makoto Noda won race 7 on Wangkkaebi (Fiercely), Mai Beppu followed up in race 11, the day’s second co-feature, by making all on Mass Media’s Tea (Mass Media) to score victory by a length. Noda and Beppu move on to six and eight wins in Korea respectively.

While on the subject of jockeys, a word for Park Sang Woo. With the horses in the gate for race 9, his mount Honggwang reared up violently throwing him off and jamming his leg against the metal stall in the process. Unable to move, he had to be carried out towards the waiting ambulance.

However, with Honggwang unharmed and to a round of applause, he insisted upon being placed back on the horse. Brave, stupid or both it may have been from Park and Honggwang, a 25/1 outsider, ran to form and finished nowhere. On returning to scale, Park collapsed after dismounting, his leg giving way, and had to be carried to weigh in. He did his job. Jockeys are tough.